


Surprise Bouquet

by Lasenby_Heathcote



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Florist Bucky, M/M, Meet-Cute, Steves knowledge of flowers saves buckys day, Stucky Thorki Secret Santa 2016, wrong delivery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 13:19:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8981359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lasenby_Heathcote/pseuds/Lasenby_Heathcote
Summary: Steve receives a bouquet not meant for him. In returning it he meets Bucky, a not-quite-florist in need of some help.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Just some simple fluff for twilightjoltik-toumei for the StuckyThorki Secret Santa 2016, I hope you like it! .
> 
> Much appreciation to the organisers at StuckyThorki.tumblr.com for putting this together!

Steve had gotten up at his usual time of day, had his breakfast, checked his emails, worked on his projects for a couple of hours, and just before lunch put on his sneakers and headphones for his daily run. Pounding his way around the streets, he mentally composed an outline for a client while Muse played in his ears, muffling the outside noise. Steve was so engrossed in planning his next project that when his route lead him back to his door, he didn't realise that something was there until he nearly kicked it. It was a bouquet of flowers.

Steve paused his music and pulled out his earbuds, wrapped them up gently and pocketed them. He leaned down and scooped up the flower arraignment, taking a closer look. There were yellow lilies and green carnations with ferns and a lot of gold ribbons tying them all together. The card was open, delicate script declaring _Congratulations Jane! x x x T._ Steve only knew a couple of his neighbours, none of whom were named Jane, and flipping the card only provided the address of the florist, not the intended recipient. Steve shrugged, at the very least he could return them to the shop they came from, but after he’d had a shower.

One shower and a few client phone calls later, Steve grabbed his jacket, keys and the bouquet, and headed into town. The florist was easy to find, a colourful but not gaudy shop just past the theatre, sharing a carpark with the hair salon next door. Steve gathered up the bouquet, straightening out a couple of bent fronds, and entered the shop. It was late afternoon and the shop was fairly quiet but for a well dressed woman deep in discussion with a gentleman with long dark hair and wearing a green apron. Steve hung back to wait and perused the buckets of flowers in a wall display, unintentionally catching glimpses of the conversation happening behind him.

“The reception will need four large centrepieces, each representing love, happiness, prosperity and longevity. There should be eight of any flower...No, I said _prosperity_ , do you have what I need?”

The man in the apron ran a hand through his hair. “Can we go from the start please?”

Steve thought for a moment, then placed his bouquet behind one of the display buckets and pulled a notebook and pencil from his jacket. Taking a breath, Steve stepped forward to the lady and cleared his throat.

“Uh, ma’am? Is this what you mean?”

........................

Bucky was having a long day. He'd muddled his way through the deliveries and orders, and would be so happy when Darcy was back on deck tomorrow. The day was almost over when a well dressed Asian lady came into the shop with an special order for a wedding that was completely over his head. He was almost ready to ask if he could have his florist call her tomorrow when a customer in a dark jacket and Adonis-like proportions stepped in and provided the answers for her. Bucky just watched in amazement.

The door closed behind the lady and the tall blond miracle was at the counter, handing him 4 pages of centrepiece designs with accompanying flower lists for each of them.

“You’ll need these.” He offered, meeting Bucky’s eye. Bucky took the pages from the stranger who had just nabbed him a lucrative wedding job, that on his own, Bucky would have failed to secure.

“Ok, who are you and what god brought you into my shop?”

Tall, blond and gorgeous laughed, throwing his head back and bringing a hand up to grab at a well defined pec. He reached behind a display and brought out a ruffled bouquet of green and gold.

“I'm, uh, Steve Rogers, and I received these by mistake this morning. There was no address to pass it on to, but it still had the florist card.”

Bucky stared at him dumbfounded, blinking a couple of times before shaking himself to.

“And you just thought, while you were here returning flowers rather than just dumping them in the trash like any other person would do, that you would what? Save my ass a second time with your frankly astonishing knowledge of Chinese flower meanings?”

Steve shrugged his shoulders and coughed apologetically. “Yeah?”

Bucky laughed. “Ok, that’s it. Peter!” he called behind him. A young man in a matching green apron popped his head out from the back room.

“We're closing a bit early. Can you get all of this tidied up, and after that, make sure this-“ Bucky hands him the green and gold bouquet Steve came in with, “gets delivered to the _right_ address with an apology card? I'm getting a drink.” Bucky turned to Steve. “and I'm buying you one too, no arguments, I owe you that.”

Steve smiled, “I wont say no.”

“Perfect! I'll grab my jacket.”

Outside, after locking the front door and putting away the sign, Bucky pointed them down the road. Five shops down was a cafe with a bar which Bucky directed them to, and after ordering beers and burgers, they settled on a couple of bar stools under a painted mural of James Dean. Bucky leaned over and clinked his bottle against the one in Steve’s hand. They sat in comfortable silence as they worked their way through half a bottle each before Bucky’s curiosity got the better of him.

“So how do you know about centrepieces and prosperity flowers and the like?”

Steve leaned back against the mural, setting his beer on the table. “My mom. She used to do flower arraigning for competitions when I was a kid, still does them occasionally now too. But one summer I was laid up with mono-“ he was interrupted by Bucky laughing.

“Sorry, my kid sister had mono when I was in high school. It was rough for all of us.”

“Yeah,” Steve chuckled in agreement.

“Sorry, go on.” Bucky waved, taking a mouthful.

“Yeah, anyway, I was so bored I sketched all the flowers she was using. She explained all of their meanings, and I guess some of it stuck.”

They were interrupted by the arrival of their burgers, and they ordered another round of drinks. Biting the end off a chip Bucky spoke up again.

“Yeah I had no idea that flowers meant anything. I mean, I know roses mean love, but prosperity, and what was the other one?”

“Longevity.” Steve said around a mouthful of burger.

“ _Longevity,_ hell.” Bucky chuckled.

Swallowing his bite of burger, Steve’s curiosity piqued. “So how does a florist not know some of this?”

“Oh,” Bucky declared, putting down his burger to explain. “I'm not a florist. I do the books and the payroll. What I know about flowers is money. I know that orchids are more expensive than chrysanthemums, that we sell more lilies than roses during the week but more roses on the weekend. I know what each one costs, what they sell for and how to order more. I can’t exactly say that I know what they all look like – and meanings? Hell, no.”

Bucky took a swig of his beer and a few more chips before continuing.  
“My aunt is the florist, but she’s on bed rest for a while. Her apprentice has been covering the bouquets and special orders while I do the rest, but she called in ‘sick’ today because her boyfriend proposed last night and they're taking the day to celebrate.”

Steve nods, “Congrats to her.”

“Yeah, I can’t fault her for that, and my aunt’s a softie, she’d have given Darcy the day off too. So for the day it’s just been me, Pete, and our part-time delivery guy Clint. Seriously, if it hadn’t been for you, I would have lost that sale, and I would have hated myself for it. So, thanks.”

“You know, I'm usually accused of being a busy-body when I do something like that. I'm glad it worked out for you.”

The banter came easy as they made their way through their meals and another round of drinks, Bucky hadn’t relaxed this much since Aunt Peg went into hospital but being with Steve was easy and comfortable and not to mention, very easy on the eye. Bucky was caught a couple of times checking out the blond in front of him, but each time Steve returned the physical appraisal with one of his own, causing Bucky to blush somewhat under his gaze.

When their meal was over Bucky waved Steve off, to the point of grabbing Steve’s hands and forcing them behind his back in his insistence of paying for both their meals, repeatedly saying that Steve had saved his ass earlier and Bucky was simply repaying the debt. Steve’s playful threat to pay next time had them both smiling as they wandered back to the florist where Steve had left his car. They exchanged numbers and wished each other a good night and Steve drove off happy.

Arriving back at his house, Steve pulled his keys from his pocket only to be stopped by the sight of something on his doorstep. There, on the welcome mat was the same bouquet of flowers from the beginning of the day, only a little more wilted and sporting an extra note _“Sorry for the late delivery, enjoy!”_

Steve couldn’t help but laugh and pulled out his phone to take a photo. Grabbing the bouquet, he unlocked his door and stepped inside, looking up his most recently made contact and sent the photo through to Bucky. His phone pinged a moment later with the message _WTF!? Imma need a word with that kid ffs._ Steve pulled a saucepan out of the cupboard in lieu of a vase and put them in water, not knowing if they’ll be too far gone to use again, but at least it gave him a reason to see Bucky again tomorrow.


End file.
